George w



(No Model.)

G. W. DITHRIDGE.

BEAM OR GIRDER.

Patented-June 24, 1890.

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UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. DITHRIDGE, OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

BEAM OR GIRDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part, of Letters Patent No. 430,840, dated June24, 1890'.

I Application filed August 28, 1889. Serial No. 322,177. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. DITHRIDGE, of the city, county, and Stateof New York, have invented an Improvement in Beams or Girders, of whichthe following is a specification.

My invention relates to beams or girders adapted for use in buildings orelevated-railway structures and to sills or side beams for railway-carbodies.

Myinvention consists in a beam or sill composed of upper and lower tubeshaving fins or ribs made integral therewith, there being atintervalsstraps and bolts with central stay-blocks for connecting said tubestogether to form the beam or sill.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a crossseet-ion of one form of myimproved beam or sill, and Figs. 2 and 3 elevations of the straps shownin Fig. 1. Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 represent modified forms of myimproved beam or sill; and Fig. 9 is a section at the line a x of Fig.7.

My improved beam or sill is composed of upper and lower or edge tubes toa. These tubes, as shown in Fig. 1, are in cross-section an elongatedoval or pear shape, and they are provided with fins or ribs Z) 1),formed integral or in one piece with said tubes. These tubes I prefer tomake of Bessemer steel without joint or weld and of one piece of metal.

I employ straps 0 cl of any desired width, which straps I prefer to formfrom bands of steel bent up to shape, and it will be noticed from Figs.2 and 3 that said straps c d are exactly alike or the counterparts ofeach other, said straps in use being placed in opposite directions, sothat the smaller end of the strap 0 passes within the larger end of thestrap d, and the smaller end of the strap (1 passes within the largerend of the strap 0, and said straps are slipped along over the edgetubes a a. into place, and I provide stayblocks at 6 between theabutting ends of the fins or ribs b b and bolts f to draw up and applytension to the straps 0 cl in holding the tubes a on together andforming the beam or sill. It will be noticed in Fig. 4 that the tubes aa are of similar shape to those in Fig. 1, except that they are providedwith side flanges 3 4, and that the straps c d are adapted to passaround these flanges and lap. The oentral stay-bars e in this figurehave grooved edges at 5 to receive the ends of the fins or ribs 1) b.

The beams 01' sills shown in Figs. 5 and 6 have tubes at a, that areelongated oval or pear shaped, with fins b b, slotted stay-blocks e, andconnecting-bolts f, the fins or ribs in Fig. 6 beingtwo-part or divided.In these two figures the straps are interlockingthat is to say, thereare circular end portions 14 15 around the tubes a a and havingreturnbends or hooks at 6. These straps are alike.

The side straps c d are also alike and aremade with return-bends orhooks 7, which interlock with the return-bends 6, and the bolts f serveto draw these parts tightly together to form the beam or sill.

In Figs. 7 and 8 the tubes Ct at are round and provided with fins b bintegral therewith, and there are also stay-blooks e andconnecting-bolts f. 1

In Fig. 7 the straps that tie the tubes together to form the beams areof somewhat modified form from those heretofore described, there beingstraps 0 d at the two sides of the beam, the straps c (1 being connectedin one instance by a short strap m, with interlocking ends 8 9, or withsimply interlocking ends 10, either of which forms of construction maybe employed. The central portions of the straps c d are shown convexedor arching at Z and ribbed at 11 12, Fig. 9, the bolt f passing throughthe curved portion and acting against the same in straining the strap,and in practice the parts of the straps at the sides of the fins willnot quite touch said fins, thereby allowing space for drawing up theplates. This is also the case with the construction shown in Fig. 8.

The strapsc d and the end portions 14 15 shown in Fig. 8 are similar tothose shown in Figs. 5 and 6, except that the interlocking hooks aremodified and shown in two differ out forms, either of which is availableand equally effective.

My improved beam or sill is strong and easily made, and is adapted foruse in build ings or railway structures, and especially for the side andend sills of railroad'cars, such as freight, coal, and platform cars.

I claim as my invention- 1. The beam or sill composed of upper and loweredge tubes having finsor' ribs integral gral therewith, of the centralstay-blocks 6,

having slots to receive the edges of the fins or ribs, two or moreencircling-straps having 15 interlocking ends, and the conneoting-boltsf, substantially as set forth.

Signed by me this 22d day of August, A. D.

GEO. W. DITHRID GE.

'Witnesses:

GEO. T. PINCKNEY, WI LIAM G. MOTT.

